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Topic: Skype (Read 29157 times)

bogstandard

Over the last couple of weeks I have been putting my new ISP and email accounts thru their paces, and I decided to reconnect my Skype connection which had been turned off for the last couple of months.

Within half an hour of being online I got my first call from a person in the UK, I have never talked or seen him before, but had communicated thru an associated website to this one, of which I am no longer a member. Whilst on that call, another one chirped in, from our one and only Cedge. Unable to make the setup for a conference call, I had to tell him to call back later.

Eventually a few minutes later we were talking like good friends, only ever having communicated by email or PM.Steve could see my ugly mush, but unfortunately, because he doesn't have a webcam, I was just talking to a voice. He even got introduced to the now famous Bandit. It makes the experience a whole lot more personal.

The world has shrunk since the introduction of little internet devices and programs such as this, and to me has opened up a whole new world of friends and aquaintances, who only a few years ago could only be communicated with by very expensive telephone calls or snail mail and more recently emails and PM's.

The other advantage is that by using Skypeout and making a small payment into Skype credit, you can contact almost anywhere in the world to a landline telephone, using your computer, for only a couple of pennies a minute. I regularly called my friend in Moscow for an hour at a time, until he eventually got Skype, now it costs us nothing, other than a bit of bandwidth useage allowance.

If anyone wants to connect using this method, my skype name is bandit175. But please remember the time differences between continents, but if when you try to connect, it should tell you if I am on line, or just want to be left alone.

Anyone else want to join in the fun, just append your skype name to this topic.

If anyone wants to do it, but thinks they can't, ask and all your questions will hopefully be answered. It is very cheap to set up, in the UK, about £10 - £15 will get you the bits to start talking and sending live video.

It was nice to get the chance to speak with John. I'm not quite sold on the camera yet.... especially after seeing his mug on screen. I'd almost feel guilty for inflicting my own on anyone...LOL I'm on Skype as Cedge111.

It was nice to get the chance to speak with John. I'm not quite sold on the camera yet.... especially after seeing his mug on screen. I'd almost feel guilty for inflicting my own on anyone...LOL I'm on Skype as Cedge111.

Steve

Yeah, I feel the same about my mug on the PC. But, I have your phone number anyway Steve!

bogstandard

Never be ashamed of what you look like, you can't help it, and besides it isn't your fault, blame your parents.

But getting away from the ribbing, when you read a post, you can now see it in a different light, because you can physically imagine the person doing the job, even down to the swearing when they drop a blooper.

bogstandard

The other early morning after another sleepless night, Skype chirped up and Steve (Cedge) was on the other end.

Thru Skype, he had noticed I was up and about and decided to give me a call.

There was my wife and myself, in our dressing gowns at 4am in the morning, the wife making coffee, me talking to a chap about all sorts of things, whom I have never met in person, and on another continent.

Now if that isn't a good enough reason to get yourself onto Skype, I don't know what is.

bogstandard

Run Skype. If you go to the tools tab at the top, and click on options. That allows you to set it up just how you like it. Go to sound devices and tick both boxes. At the bottom of the sound devices you will see a link saying make a test call. If you click on that, you can find out if you headset mic and speakers are set up OK.

If you can hear everything after your test, close down the tab and select the contacts tab. Go to search for Skype users. All should then be self explanatory.

If you see someone on line, click on their name, ask them to allow you to call them, and away you go.

JohnI once went for drinks with a crew I did business with. Among the group was a young guy fresh from the UK who was here doing some sort of equipment support for the company. A local "beach club" was the chosen watering hole. A beach club is something of an inland "Myrtle Beach" experience, sans the salt water and sand.

The local girls caught his accent, making him real popular... real fast. After his first dance, he returned blushing and confused. The longer we stayed, the more confused he looked, as each time a girl asked him to dance. You see..... the mainstay of a beach club is a dance called "The Shag". It's a bit like a jitterbug, but a bit slower and more relaxed.

Someone in the group finally disabused the poor chap of his fantasy that every girl in the place was trying to get in his knickers. For a while there he was convinced that the USA was indeed a land of unimaginable opportunity.

Sitting here at work waiting for a co-worker to get his head out of his "arse".. 3:20AM.. supposed to be gone a hour ago.. and Im smiling ear to ear.

I find it awesome that some of you who profess in different threads to be fairly.. beginner... at computers, and or not an expert etc. Are talking on Skype, and using webcams etc.

I think the world has come a long way.. for the best because of the PC.. and how the nerds who used to use them.. are now the minority once again. And everyone.. from Nerd to those who have zero experience.. can all do the same things on a PC. With a fair amount of ease.

I think back on the movies when a kid.. and people were talking on phones across the world with a picture.

Shoot for that matter I remember SEEING phones that they advertised had a screen, and a camera. I think 2001 a space oddesy for that matter had them didnt it?

Love it

I have Skype also. when I get home, if I dont fall over from exhaustion I will put my info in here

bogstandard

I am no whizz kid, I just let Skype do it for me, with only minor input from myself.

Things like this are now getting much easier, with programs to set up programs.

A few of us are having problems with it, but I think that is to do with how we set up our microphones etc. just minor problems.

I know I am having great difficulty with one member, he is using satellite broadband, but we just can't manage to connect properly. Maybe it is to do with the footprint of the satellite, as he has no trouble with another member who comes from the US.

Hi I use Skype a lot its set up on two pc's hear , we talk on a regular basis to aus as my son lives there and we can only get him via a mobile, this only costs about 11p a min its more expensive to call some one in the uk.back to the mikes I use a logitech desk mike and the pc's speakers as when we call him we both want to talk to him and hear him ,its ok as long as you place the spekers so as not to get echo, we dont get any at all and the qualitey is far better than BT, I have put the spekers behind the monitor (flat screen ) and pointing toward the centre of the back of the monitor. this stoped all the echo and there is no problem at whatever level you want the soun (within reason) on the othere machine my wife uses a cheap hand set that looks like a mobile phone but with a curley lead. this works very well as my wife would moan if it didnt. this mike was half the price when I bought it from e-buyer.I have also used a few old sound card mikes , they where not that good but worked but needed a lot of fiddling

I've had problem setting up skype getting the mike to work tried two head sets, both didn't work, I think the problem is with the computer. In the processes this week end of setting up a new machine, so will give it another try.

Did a bit of searching in the "Help" file in Skype. Found that you can have up to 24 people in a conferrence. There are two ways to do it. Before you call high light the people you want to include in the conference and then call or start with two people and the just add other people as they come on. There is an add button on the upper right that allows you to do that.

I tried it off line with John and Steve. I stoped short of clicking the video button. Now all that needs to be done is give it a try.

bogstandard

Skype is now starting to advertise on the television. I only noticed it starting this week.

It might be a mail shot from Skype or it's subsiduaries, using email addresses from gathering agencies, or even your own ISP, offering you membership of Skype.

I use a program called Mailwasher, where I can read my emails while they are still sitting in the pigeon hole at my ISP. I can then decide whether I want it to come down to my machine or just delete/bounce it from where it is sitting. Doing it that way, I don't have to use the ISP crap filters, which can sometimes delete genuine emails.

Just to put your mind at rest, I have never had one bit of trouble with Skype, except of course, not enough people are using it, or only use it once or twice, then turn it off.

It has come to our attention that your Skype account informations needs to be updated as part of our continuing commitment to protect your account and to reduce the instance of fraud on our website. If you could please take 5-10 minutes out of your online experience and update your personal records you will not run into any future problems with the online service.

However, failure to update your records will result in account suspension. Please update your records on or before Mar 30, 2009.

you are requested to update your account informations at the following link.

**Link was here** which I left out

*Important*We have asked few additional information which is going to be the part of secure login process. These additional information will be asked during your future login security so, please provide all these info completely and correctly otherwise due to security reasons we may have to close your account temporarily.End quote

Since I don't have Skype the above made me suspicious. I have read how you and several of the lads use it and will probably get skype someday so I can drop in on you and check up and see what you guys have been up to since my ancestors left 150 some years ago.

Cheers

Don

Logged

Good, better, best.Never let it rest,'til your good is better,and your better best

Hi everyone, I recently bought by 70+ year old parents into the computer world and have them up on the internet. While doing so Skype was one of the programs I added to their pc and mine. It's works great and we can video conference.

Anyway my Skype name is boba1618. If you have Skype feel fee to add me can call anytime you'd like. Looking forward to talking to you.

Right, ................ you lot have dragged me ....... "kicking and screaming" ......... ....... into the 21st century; I've downloaded and registered with Skype ........... CrewCab101 ................ though at present I haven't got a head set or a web cam ("praise be to the gods" I hear in the distance ) .............. OK give me a few days and I'll get there

bogstandard

I am just trying to resurrect the Skype contact scheme, and bring it to new members attention.

It really is a great way to get to know people, and also to solve a technical issue where you might be embarrassed to display it on the site, or can't describe it in text. One to one is usually a better way than trying to understand it in a posting.

It seems that after the initial flurry, it is dying a slow death, and people can't be bothered and very rarely have it switched on.

I have also noticed that a lot of people have their computers and Skype on permanently. There is a setting in Skype that detects if you are using your comp or not. Go to tools, then general settings, it would be a good idea if you could set that up so that after say non use for for 5 or 10 mins, it shows that you are away. When I am up and about late at night, and see that my Skype contacts are online, I don't know whether to call or not, as I might wake someone up from their beauty sleep.

I have a problem in the early hours, when I am up and about a lot, to stop my wife being disturbed by the ringtone, my computer speakers are turned off, and I can't hear the ringtone if I am in the other room. So if you want to call, just send a text, and if I am available I will usually call you straight back. It might show that I am away, but it is worth trying.

So lets get the people on here talking again, it costs you nothing other than a bit of cheap equipment (if you read this topic from the start, it descibes what is needed), and if you don't mind talking to an overweight lathe jockey, with no teeth, and a fag and coffee permanently on the go, get calling.

yep a bit on the bbc site as well http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12064394 there saying it's continuing I had to use it a 4.30 am this morning and as soon as I loged in it updated again,took ages and I was in a rush to go to bed.very poor audio when I got loged in.

I too have been using Skype for a number of years and really like it. If MS kills it then they will be throughing 8.5 Billion out the window. My guess is that free will go away and we will have to pay to talk.

I kind of skimmed the thread, so I don't know if this has been covered yet. I don't need to look at most of the people I chat with, but I do like to look at their projects. I will show what I'm working on to people and they can ask me questions about it. This of course works both ways. It has helped to solve many problems.

Was a long term user until my younger Brother passed away as we always kept in contact. Still have it to make long distance & international calls as its way cheaper than landline charges and if my friends have webcams even better I'l try to remember to fire it up when online and see what happens.Skype name blue_hills picked as it matches the colours the Flinders Ranges go through during the day & evening though getting hard to see with the buildings now getting in the way.Pete

hi and all respect You guys can chat all you want using Skype, but I think you get yourselves in a big time of trouble,…

because guys like me, “the newbie’s” will have the great opportunity, just aim the camera over the machine and call any of you online ask “what are we doing wrong?” or “how to use a parting tool” etc. Nice, really! Or maybe you will want to see real time to diagnose the problem, or better yet show “how to do it”… as long as you are available, we will keep bothering you.